Memorandum from Secretary of Defense Robert Lovett to President Harry S. Truman
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OCR Page 1 of 15Personal-Secy of
THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE
CONFIDENTIAL
WASHINGTON
NOVEMBER 18, 1952
Defores
Dieg faled
Dear Mr. President:
Some months ago in connection with a discussion of
means by which my successor could be provided with a running-start
on certain of the administrative and operational policy problems in
the Department of Defense, you suggested that I write you an informal
letter indicating subjects or general areas where work already begun
might be profitably continued by the new administration You men-
tioned that what was wanted was a paper which would express my
personal observations and that its form need not be that of a properly
coordinated staff study but could be more in the nature of a series of
notes which might be expanded in conversation or by reference to De-
partment of Defense files if the subject appeared interesting or helpful.
Accordingly, I am setting out below a series of notes on a
variety of subjects in which the Office of the Secretary of Defense has
or should have special concern. I will try to make them as brief as
possible, but one or two of the points discussed are so controversial
that they will need some moderate, factual expansion here.
At the outset it would perhaps be well to state in very broad
terms my own general feeling about civilian-military relationships,
with a word in passing on the quality of our professional military per-
sonnel and their permanent civilian counterparts. This will permit
anyone who may read this letter to take into account some of my per. -
sonal belieis so that he may adjust for them.
In my opinion, the quality of our professional military of-
ficers and the permanent civilian staff is remarkably high. It compares
very favorably with any large industrial organization of its approximate
size, complexity and wide range of functions. I have great respect and
affection for our professional military men and having had an opportunity
of seeing them both at the council table and in the field, I know of no
country more fortunately situated in this respect than ours.
The permanent civilian staff, consisting mainly of specialists
is numerous fields and administrative personnel, has shown faithfulness,
reliability and a sense of responsibility of the highest order. In technical,
DECLASSIFIED
E.a 12015 SEC.III
OEE. LTR. 6-12-79
CONFIDENTIAL
By NLT-NC NARS, Date 12.4.79
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